1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a multi-language conversion system in a data processing program, for connecting data based on a description of corresponding data expressed in a designated language, and for displaying the converted data on a display surface, and more particularly to a multi-language conversion system in a data processing apparatus for simply and adequately dealing with new subject data for conversion by adding an expansion function to the data processing program.
2. Description of the Related Art
The data processing apparatus is provided with a multi-language conversion system for displaying data described in the program in a desired language. This system can be used when the data processing apparatus is used in a country other than the one in which it is manufactured. The data processing apparatus is subjected to sequential program upgradings. Therefore, the data of a new subject for conversion must be added through an expansion function of the program to implement the multi-language processing system, and it is necessary to provide a means by which data can be simply and adequantly added.
In order to implement a multi-language processing system, the data (called keyword hereafter) which is subject to a conversion is classified in accordance with a group of head characters. Thus, as shown in FIG. 1A, it is necessary to provide a keyword module 1 comprising a keyword table 3 for managing the head characters in incrementing order (or decrementing order) and an index table 4 for processing the head position of respective groups. It is also necessary to provide data module 2 comprising data table 5 for managing the data (the converted data of the keywords expressed in a designated language) corresponding to the keywords, in accordance with the same sequence as in keyword table 3. Also provided is address table 6 for processing the data corresponding to data table 5, as shown in FIG. 1B. This table assumes the Japanese language, and the data length information is stored in an area designated by (*).
In prior art multi-language conversion processing systems, the keyword module 1 is formed and managed so that it is incorporated in a portion of the data conversion structure unit and carries out data conversion in accordance with a format applied to all the data modules 2 prepared for respective languages of a conversion subject. Thus, as shown in FIG. 2, keyword module 1 is constructed to be managed in a format such that it becomes common to data module 2 prepared for the respective language of a conversion subject. The order of keywords in keyword table 3 naturally complies with the order of the corresponding data stored in address table 6 with regard to the storing address.
Therefore, according to the structure of the prior art, where a keyword of a new subject for conversion is added to the keyword module, it is necessary to update data module 2 prepared for a language so that it corresponds to the added keyword in keyword module 1. If data module 2 is not updated, it does not comply with the sequential order of the keywords of keyword module 1, and thus returns wrong corresponding data. Further, it may perform an abnormal program end by failing to return the corresponding data. However, simultaneous execution of the updating process for all the data module 2 must create an extremely large load.
Therefore, in order to guarantee a normal conversion process at a portion other than the added keyword, that is, to guarantee the normal keyword conversion process managed up to this time, a method of adding the keyword to be added to the last portion of keyword table 3 is used. For example, as explained by the example shown in FIG. 1A, the keyword to be added enters a group of head character "Z", and keyword modules 1 and 2 are updated.
However, if the method described above is used, a keyword which does not have "Z" as its head character, has to be changed to a word starting with "Z", such as "Z.multidot.COPY". This causes the problem that a keyword with a nonsensical meaning must be added. Further, keywords belonging to the "Z" group become progressively longer. Thus, they generally have lower conversion capability than those belonging to other groups.